# How Commonplace Is Bathroom Reading? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493 "2012-01-05T11:28:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/21 "2012-01-05T16:55:43Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Now I take my iPhone in with me and surf the web. > And yes, I’ll post to the Dope while I’m in the bathroom, too. Oh great. Now I have to wash my hands after I read your posts. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/22 "2012-01-05T17:23:02Z")
I always wipe down used books with isopropyl alcohol before reading them for exactly this reason. Certainly my friends and fmaily all have books/magazines in the bathroom. I would consider it rude not to have something available inthe guest bathroom. Nowadays, as a single Mom, it’s the only chance I get to read. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/23 "2012-01-05T17:44:53Z")
> [@jali](#): > > The bathroom provides another opportunity to read. I don’t ‘get’ people who don’t read in the bathroom. I’m not saying you’re wrong, I just don’t get it. Word. > [@Bloodless\_Turnip](#): > > If I don’t have a book in there, I’ll read the back of shampoo bottles. Ayup! I’m another Mom-who-hides-in-the-bathroom-with-a-book. Unfortunately, there is a serious side effect to this lifetime habit. Now I can’t move my bowels without reading. I can feel like I have to go, even to the point of cramping and pain, but I’ve cross wired the “lateral movement of the eyes” and “poop” nerves. Hence the shampoo bottles. Or, in an emergency, I have to scan the bathroom tiles, left to right, as if I were reading words. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/24 "2012-01-05T18:11:09Z")
We’ve always read in the bathroom in our hose. When I was growing up, Readers Digest, Far Side and Calvin books were all in the little book rack right by the toilet. Since I’ve been on my own, all my Straight Dope books are in there, but I usually take in my ipad and play scrabble or solitaire. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/25 "2012-01-05T18:13:03Z")
I wanna put a bookshelf in there. Hate when you forget to bring reading material then wind up reading the shampoo bottles. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/26 "2012-01-05T18:14:27Z")
I recall getting into this before, and the results were that most people read in the bathroom, and the ones who don’t are odd and their mothers dress them funny. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/27 "2012-01-05T18:26:15Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Word. > > Unfortunately, there is a serious side effect to this lifetime habit. Now I can’t move my bowels without reading. I can feel like I have to go, even to the point of cramping and pain, but I’ve cross wired the “lateral movement of the eyes” and “poop” nerves. Hence the shampoo bottles. Or, in an emergency, I have to scan the bathroom tiles, left to right, as if I were reading words. Oh good, I thought I was the only one like this. Now when my family says I’m weird for reading in the bathroom, I can point them to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/28 "2012-01-05T18:34:55Z")
I’m apparently in the minority on this for Straight Dope posters, but also for the population at large? I do clean my used books upon arrival in the mail, apparently with good reason. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/29 "2012-01-05T18:41:47Z")
Frankly, I often judge people by the quality of the reading material in the bathroom. I have a friend who National Enquirer in the bathroom. Does anybody remember the part in “The Big Chill” where Jeff Goldblum complained that his articles were designed to only last as long as the average trip to the bathroom? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/30 "2012-01-05T18:43:43Z")
My roommate used to spend like an hour in the bathroom reading fantasy novels and being particularly smelly. It drove me nuts because we only have one bathroom. And he was smelly. Ugh. I’ve never been a bathroom reader. I do keep a small magazine in there and if I read at all it’s 2 or 3 sentences then I’m out. I think it’s sort of uncomfortable to sit on the pot for too long. My butt starts to hurt. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/31 "2012-01-05T19:31:10Z")
Mind wanders when looking through used books. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/32 "2012-01-05T19:40:43Z")
I only opened this thread out of curiosity. I have never understood wallowing in your own stench to read. It just doesn’t take me that long to poop, so I can’t imagine why I’d want to spend any more time than necessary when there are perfectly comfortable chairs all over the house, in other rooms that smell nicer. Plus, _ew_. The only time books are ever dragged into my bathroom is if I’ve decided to soak in the clawfoot tub for a bit. I’m not really into baths (stewing in your own juices, again, _ew_), but once in a while a nice soak in a hot bubble bath is just the thing. I will get really bored after my legs are shaved, so a book is necessary if I’m really trying to, say, loosen sore muscles or something. I sort of get “that’s the only time and place I have privacy or am undisturbed,” but for a lot of people, I guess some of you just like to make an event of it? Or perhaps some of you should try to get more fiber in your diet so pooping doesn’t take 30 minutes. Or is it a “poop. flush. hang out” thing? :: shakes head :: don’t really get it ---
**Author:** ![FrancisCastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FrancisCastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrancisCastle)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/33 "2012-01-05T20:01:27Z")
My daughter picked up this habit, but not from me. I can’t understand how it can be comfortable to sit on the toilet and read. Wouldn’t you rather be in a comfy chair/on the couch/in bed? She can spend an hour in there and it drives me crazy. Especially since we only have one bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![ExcitedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/34 "2012-01-05T20:03:08Z")
I guess you have perfect bowels, the rest of us take a few minutes. Those few minutes a day add up to 3-4 books a year for me. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/35 "2012-01-05T22:32:12Z")
I read in the bathroom, but mostly just fluff-- Entertainment Weekly, for instance, is perfect bathroom reading. I am generally in and out in a minute or two, so I can’t imagine trying to read anything more substantial! ---
**Author:** ![Bloodless\_Turnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Bloodless\_Turnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloodless_Turnip)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/36 "2012-01-05T22:35:43Z")
Doesn’t matter if I need a sentence or a chapter, I always bring reading material with me to the bathroom. Or, as I’ve said before - I’m reading the shampoo bottles. I take reading material with me to the public bathrooms too. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/37 "2012-01-05T22:37:20Z")
I keep a cookbook in the bathroom. The way I figure it, I might as well learn how to bake a loaf if I’m going to pinch one. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/38 "2012-01-05T23:14:52Z")
reading promotes hemorrhoids. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/39 "2012-01-05T23:18:05Z")
^^^^Excellent username/thread combination. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493/40 "2012-01-06T00:03:38Z")
We keep a stack of newspaper comics in the bathroom. You only in there for a second? You can finish one Pearls Before Swine strip. Gonna be a while? Well, there’s a whole stack, plus I always get to the Carolyn Hax and Dear Abby columns while I’m at it, because it’s always nice to be reminded that other people have screwed up their lives worse than me. 😃 We have a very small sink, so we have a carefully orchestrated his’n’hers stack. They go in the recycling bin when we’re done anyway, ya germaphobes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-commonplace-is-bathroom-reading/608493.md?page=3)